1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an accumulator, and more particularly to a universal accumulator assembly for various kinds of vehicle air conditioning systems.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The typical accumulators are known in the art to be used in a vehicle air conditioning system intermediate to the evaporator and compressor, and comprise an inlet fitting for permitting passage of heavy vapor from the evaporator into a cylindrical canister and an outlet fitting for permitting suction of the refrigerant vapor from the canister to the compressor. The accumulators are provided for prohibiting liquid refrigerant from returning to the compressor and for providing dehydration via a desiccant located within the accumulator canister.
While changing the old accumulator with a new one, the type of accumulator should be chosen or selected according to the relative positions of the line from the evaporator and the line to the compressor. However, different vehicles may have different styles or designs of accumulators, such that a variety of styles or designs of accumulators are required to be selected or chosen to accommodate the various vehicle air conditioning systems.
For example, as shown in FIGS. 1A-1E, and 2A-2E, various kinds of typical accumulators are illustrated and comprise a number of canisters 70 each having a female inlet fitting 71 or a male inlet fitting 74 for coupling to the evaporators, and each having a male outlet fitting 72 for coupling to the compressors, and/or each further having one or more service fittings 73 for coupling to the pressure cycle switches or the like. The male outlet fittings 72 and the service fittings 73 are required to be disposed or extended from various angular positions from the canisters 70 for coupling to the compressors at different positions or locations relative to the canisters 70. The fittings 71, 72, 73, 74 are solidly secured to the canister 70 and may not be changed relative to the canister 70. Accordingly, a large number of accumulators are required for fitting to various kinds of vehicles; and a large number of accumulators are required to be prepared and stored as the inventory for the auto repair companies or stores.
In order to reduce the number of different designs and styles of accumulators, the canister may include an inlet fitting on the side thereof, and an outlet fitting in approximately the center of the bottom or the upper portion thereof. U.S. Pat. No. 4,835,986 to Carlisle, Jr., U.S. Pat. No. 4,866,951 to Masterson, II, U.S. Pat. No. 4,938,037 to Carlisle, Jr., U.S. Pat. No. 4,939,904 to Carlisle, Jr., U.S. Pat. No. 5,048,309 to Carlisle, Jr. disclose several of the typical universal accumulators and comprise an outlet fitting rotatably secured to the center of the upper portion of the canister for rotatably and adjustably securing or coupling to the compressors at different positions or locations relative to the canisters. However, the outlet fittings are rotatably secured to the canister and thus may not be solidly secured to the canister and may be easily become loose relative to the canister.
The present invention has arisen to mitigate and/or obviate the afore-described disadvantages of the conventional universal accumulators.
The primary objective of the present invention is to provide a universal accumulator assembly for various kinds of vehicle air conditioning systems.
In accordance with one aspect of the invention, there is provided a universal accumulator assembly comprising a housing including an inlet opening, and an outlet opening, a first inlet fitting and a second inlet fitting selectively engaged with the inlet opening of the housing, and a first outlet fitting and a second outlet fitting selectively engaged with the outlet opening of the housing.
The first inlet fitting may include a metric inner thread for coupling to a metric piping, and the second inlet fitting may include a British inner thread for coupling to a British piping.
The first inlet fitting may include a metric outer thread for coupling to a metric lock nut, and the second inlet fitting may include a British outer thread for coupling to a British lock nut.
The first inlet fitting may include an inner thread for coupling to a piping, and the second inlet fitting may include an outer thread for coupling to a lock nut.
The first and the second inlet fittings each may include a bore and an orifice formed therein for defining a peripheral shoulder therein, the universal accumulator assembly may further include a tubing having a first end for engaging into the orifice of the first and the second inlet fittings, at least one sealing ring engaged between the tubing and the first and the second inlet fittings, and a lock nut engaged with the tubing and engaged with the first and the second inlet fittings for securing the tubing to the first and the second inlet fittings.
A barrel may further be provided and selectively engaged into the orifice and engaged with the peripheral shoulder of the first and the second inlet fittings, and the sealing ring is engaged between the tubing and the barrel and the first and the second inlet fittings.
The housing may further include at least one second outlet opening formed therein and offset from the inlet opening and the outlet opening thereof for selectively receiving the first outlet fitting and the second outlet fitting.
The housing may further include at least one fastener for selectively engaging with the outlet opening and the second outlet opening thereof for selectively blocking the outlet opening and the second outlet opening thereof
The first outlet fitting may include a metric outer thread for coupling to a metric lock nut, and the second outlet fitting may include a British outer thread for coupling to a British lock nut.
The first and the second outlet fittings each may include a bore and an orifice formed therein for defining a peripheral shoulder therein, the universal accumulator assembly may further include a tubing having a first end for engaging into the orifice of the first and the second outlet fittings, at least one sealing ring engaged between the tubing and the first and the second outlet fittings, and a lock nut engaged with the tubing and engaged with the first and the second outlet fittings for securing the tubing to the first and the second outlet fittings. A barrel may further be provided and selectively engaged into the orifice and engaged with the peripheral shoulder of the first and the second outlet fittings, and the sealing ring is engaged between the tubing and the barrel and the first and the second outlet fittings.
Further objectives and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from a careful reading of a detailed description provided hereinbelow, with appropriate reference to accompanying drawings.